INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION RADIOCOMMUNICATION ADVISORY GROUP GENEVA, 23-25 JANUARY 1995 Document RAG95/12-E 13 December 1994 Original: English Director, Radiocommunication Bureau STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ITU-R Part of the ITU Strategic Plan relevant to the Radiocommunication Sector (Resolution COM4/1) is attached for information. III Sectoral strategies and priorities A Radiocommunication A.1 The Radiocommunication Sector mission 27 Under the provisions of the Constitution and the Convention (Geneva, 1992), the mission of the ITU Radiocommunication Sector is, inter alia, to ensure rational, equitable, efficient and economical use of the radio-frequency spectrum by all radiocommunication services, including those using the geostationary-satellite orbit, and to carry out studies on radiocommunication matters by: - ensuring, through world radiocommunication conferences, that the Radio Regulations contain at treaty level only those provisions necessary to respond to the needs of the international community; - meeting the specific needs of Members of a Region through regional radiocommunication conferences; - coordinating efforts to eliminate harmful interference between radio stations of different countries; - making recommendations on technical radiocommunication matters through radiocommunication assemblies and study groups; - providing the products and services necessary to accomplish the Sector's purposes through the Radiocommunication Bureau and the Radio Regulations Board; - developing an appropriate set of rules of procedure for approval by the Radio Regulations Board and for use in the application of the Radio Regulations and of the decisions of competent radiocommunication conferences. A.2 The radiocommunication environment 28 Notably, the radiocommunication environment is characterized by: - technological convergence of information technology and telecommunications (including audiovisual technology); - rapid technological development, and the widespread application of digital techniques to most space and terrestrial systems, including mobile communications and new television and sound broadcasting systems; - increasing demand for the limited radio-frequency spectrum and orbital positions for space and terrestrial systems, different services and service providers, and different countries; - growing competition in the marketplace between "wired" and "wireless" communications; - growing recognition of the economic value of frequencies and orbital positions leading to new approaches to national spectrum management in some countries; - the growing role of regional organizations and private sector collaboration. A.3 The Radiocommunication Sector strategy 29 The strategy of the Radiocommunication Sector is to ensure that the ITU remains the pre-eminent global body for radiocommunications. The objectives of the Radiocommunication Sector to achieve this strategy are to carry out the functions laid down in the Convention, and specifically in the period 1995-1999: - to develop and adopt more precise criteria for frequency sharing and coordination of new and existing systems in both space and terrestrial environments; - to complete the simplification of the Radio Regulations to the extent possible and consider any consequential impact on the Radiocommunication Sector; - in close collaboration with the Telecommunication Development Sector and the Telecommunication Standardization Sector, as appropriate, to organize information meetings and world and regional seminars, accelerate the development of handbooks, and facilitate the development of automated spectrum management systems; - to continue to improve the working methods and cost- effectiveness of the Radiocommunication Sector, and to aim at more efficient radiocommunication assemblies and radiocommunication conferences; - to optimize cooperation with the other Sectors and organizations and to minimize duplication of effort; - to facilitate the development and introduction of new technologies; - to implement efficient means in order to promote broader participation by Members, particularly developing countries, and other entities in all the activities of the Radiocommunication Sector; - to ensure that the Radio Regulations and the rights of Member administrations and service providers are respected; - to ensure that the Radio Regulations Board carries out its functions, particularly in regard to the use made of frequency bands and satellite orbits, in a manner which maintains the confidence of Member administrations. A.4 Priorities of the Radiocommunication Sector for 1995-1999 30 The priorities of the Radiocommunication Sector for 1995-1999, in addition to those identified by future conferences, are: - to facilitate the development and introduction of mobile- satellite services (MSS) and future public land mobile telecommunication systems (FPLMTS), including the development of relevant sharing conditions, taking account of existing services; - to facilitate the development and introduction of digital television, including high-definition television (HDTV), and digital sound broadcasting; - to provide assistance, as requested by a world telecommunication development conference, to facilitate the introduction of modern radio systems to assist the developing countries in raising penetration levels, particularly in rural areas; - to facilitate timely coordination between new systems and existing systems in both space and terrestrial environments; - to expand the assistance offered to Member administrations in registering frequency assignments and in applying the Radio Regulations, with special attention to developing countries; - to ensure that the Radio Regulations are respected in the increasingly competitive and commercial radiocommunication environment; - in relation to improving the working methods of the Sector, to address options for: - early establishment of user-friendly document exchange capability; - accelerated development of recommendations and improvement in publication mechanisms (reduce unit cost and time to publish, provide wider distribution and electronic availability); - increased use of informatics for the notification and processing of frequency assignments; - a flexible organizational structure in the Radiocommunication Bureau with special attention to the training and development of the Bureau's staff; - to promote the development of a global information infrastructure (GII); - to encourage the participation by non-administration entities and organizations in the activities of the Radiocommunication Sector. A.5 Radiocommunication Sector actions 31 Taking into account its mission, environment, strategy, objectives and priorities, the intended actions of the Radiocommunication Sector include: - conduct of information meetings, world and regional seminars and assistance to administrations with special attention to developing countries, e.g. through the development of handbooks; - further development of cooperation with other Sectors and organizations and avoidance of duplication; - responding, as appropriate, to the items in the Buenos Aires Action Plan relating to radio-spectrum management; - increased use of informatics and information technologies including the development of an automated spectrum management system; - development of a flexible organizational structure, improvement of working methods, utilization of modern communication media and organization of training and development of the Bureau's staff; - recognition that the ITU is an organization providing services to administrations and members of the three Sectors; - enhanced participation by non-administration entities and organizations. *********